Gudhem in Västergötland, Sweden (original) (raw)
Related papers
Papers presented at a workshop organized by the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, 2011
This paper briefly discusses various aspects of the Gudhjem area on the Baltic island of Bornholm during the first millennium AD: the landscape, urbanization, administrative subdivisions, roads, ports, rural settlements and cemeteries. The whole area is of great archaeological interest with many 'recognized archaeological sites' and 'cultural heritage areas of national importance'. The paper lays emphasis on the coastal area around Gudhjem, which includes the classical Iron Age and Viking Age cemeteries along the coastal road from Salene Bugt, 0.5 km north of Gudhjem, to Saltuna, 6 km south of Gudhjem. This ancient coastal road from Gudhjem to Svaneke (Sorte Muld) is, figuratively speaking, the 'Via Appia' of Bornholm. The Via Appia is, of course, the most famous road in the Roman Empire, along which countless graves of wealthy families are located. The coastal area near Gudhjem is probably the best preserved ancient burial area in Denmark. The road leads directly to the large Iron Age settlement of Sorte Muld, a trade, production and religious centre near the town of Svaneke, 14 km to the southeast of Gudhjem. The hinterland of Gudhjem is also rich in Iron Age and Viking settlements, and the Christian landscape with its churches, chapels and religious place names is equally special. The Gudhjem area seems to have been important in both prehistoric and historical times-as a centre of administrative and religious power during the Germanic Iron Age, the Viking Age and the medieval period. It was indeed a picturesque and wealthy area-truly 'a home of the gods'. Gudhjem was a very interesting area throughout prehistoric and early historical times. I have called this paper 'The road to Gudhjem-the "Via Appia" of Bornholm' because of the remarkable concentration of ancient monuments, especially cemeteries and opulent burials, aligned like pearls on a string along the ancient coastal road near Gudhjem.
Papers from The Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology, Schleswig, 2011
This paper briefly discusses various aspects of the Gudhjem area on the Baltic island of Bornholm during the first millennium AD: the landscape, urbanization, administrative subdivisions, roads, ports, rural settlements and cemeteries. The whole area is of great archaeological interest with many 'recognized archaeological sites' and 'cultural heritage areas of national importance'. The paper lays emphasis on the coastal area around Gudhjem, which includes the classical Iron Age and Viking Age cemeteries along the coastal road from Salene Bugt, 0.5 km north of Gudhjem, to Saltuna, 6 km south of Gudhjem. This ancient coastal road from Gudhjem to Svaneke (Sorte Muld) is, figuratively speaking, the 'Via Appia' of Bornholm. The Via Appia is, of course, the most famous road in the Roman Empire, along which countless graves of wealthy families are located. The coastal area near Gudhjem is probably the best preserved ancient burial area in Denmark. The road leads directly to the large Iron Age settlement of Sorte Muld, a trade, production and religious centre near the town of Svaneke, 14 km to the southeast of Gudhjem. The hinterland of Gudhjem is also rich in Iron Age and Viking settlements, and the Christian landscape with its churches, chapels and religious place names is equally special. The Gudhjem area seems to have been important in both prehistoric and historical times-as a centre of administrative and religious power during the Germanic Iron Age, the Viking Age and the medieval period. It was indeed a picturesque and wealthy area-truly 'a home of the gods'. Gudhjem was a very interesting area throughout prehistoric and early historical times. I have called this paper 'The road to Gudhjem-the "Via Appia" of Bornholm' because of the remarkable concentration of ancient monuments, especially cemeteries and opulent burials, aligned like pearls on a string along the ancient coastal road near Gudhjem.
Gudme and Tissø. Two magnates’ complexes in Denmark from the 3rd to the 11th century AD. 2010
Gudme and Tissø are two very different sites as far as their structure and internal organization are concerned. However, they both have important positions as key sites in our understanding of economic and social development in the Northern lowlands and Scandinavia. The two sites are not unique and today we know of several other sites in both Scandinavia and northwestern Germany that can be compared with Gudme and Tissø.
There are three farms in the Oslofjord area called Gudum/Gudim. The paper discusses these three sites, located at Botne (Vestfold), Rakkestad (Østfold), and Skiptvet (Østfold), respectively, in the light of their archaeological and toponymic contexts. While the importance of Gudme and the Gudme complex on Funen for our understanding of the interrelationship between religion and political power and its manifestation in the landscape in Late Iron Age society is considerable, there is little to suggest that another ’Gudme’ awaits us on any of the above-mentioned sites in eastern Norway. Gudum at Skiptvet seems to be a marginal farm in almost all respects, while Gudum at Botne, although located far from the areas of Vestfold where archaeological finds and monuments are clustered, at least has an important overland route nearby. Gudim at Rakkestad has more to offer, archaeologically speaking, but still appears to be a relatively minor site in comparison with those in the moraine areas further north and further south. It is worth noting that two of the three areas in eastern Norway where archaeology and place names really do seem to reinforce each other and suggest central-place complexes, are situated in Vestfold and Østfold. But none of the three Gudum farms in the Oslofjord region are associated with the central areas of either Skiringssal (Vestfold) or Tune (Østfold).
Gudme/Gudhem in the light of archaeology
Keywords: Gudme, archaeology, cult sites, bracteates, gubber Abstract: Archaeology, of course, plays a decisive role in our understanding of the places called Gudme/ Gudhem. The dating of such places, as well as the interpretation of their former activities and significance, is based on the finds and features that come to light during excavations and fieldwalking. However, only a few of the known places called Gudme have been the object of archaeological investigation – and, even then, have only been partially investigated. The remains of hall buildings and smaller cult buildings are as important for the evaluation of the sites as is abundant find material, especially artefacts made of precious metal such as gold bracteates, gold-foil figures and jewellery, as well as weapons and their accessories. Much can be said here for a close connection between religion and politics, but far from all the places called Gudme have yet attracted special attention with an unusual density of finds. Consequently – in the present research situation – no generalisations are possible.
Gjellestad: a newly discovered 'central place' in south-east Norway
Antiquity, 2020
The Late Nordic Iron Age (AD 550-1050) was characterised by significant change in political, military, judicial and religious structures across Scandinavia, most clearly manifested in the appearance of high-status 'central places' in the landscape. Recent groundpenetrating radar surveys at Gjellestad in Norway have revealed a site comprising several large burial mounds-one of which contains a ship burial-in addition to a possible cult house and a feasting hall. This combination of features suggests that Gjellestad was part of a hitherto unknown central place on the eastern shores of the Oslofjord. If correct, the authors' interpretations demonstrate that the layouts of these sites were formulaic, and that central places may be more common than previously thought.
Gudhem - the toponymic evidence (or rather challenge)
The Gudme/Gudhem Phenomenon. Papers presented at a workshop organized by the Centre for Baltic and Scandinavian Archaeology (ZBSA), Schleswig, April 26th and 27th, 2010, 2011
Sørensen. In an attempt to understand these sites and their names, potential cult or sacred sites of different kinds are listed and discussed. The main conclusion reached is that we are not dealing with proper names, Gudhem etc., but rather with an underlying appellative, gudhem (goðheimr), the original meaning of which is very difficult to grasp. Why and how this appellative was used to form the place names cannot be determined.